Live Music in Spanish Caves

Cave acoustics mainly depend upon the configuration of a cave’s roofs, walls and depth, but in most cases, just being in an underground cavern amplifies our sense of solemnity. In this post we are going to take you down into the Caves of Drach, in Majorca; then, on to the Canalobre Caves in Alicante, and we’ll finish off our little wander venturing into the International Festival of Music and Dance in Nerja, Malaga.

Live Music in the Caves of Drach

Majorca is home to an underground jewel that although undisturbed for centuries, is now one of the Island’s most popular destinations. A mere 25 meters below the surface, The Caves of Drach are one of a kind in Europe, with their 1200 meters of passageways where stalactites and stalagmites meet in impossible shapes. The tour takes about an hour, including a live classical music show aboard a number of small boats (the acoustics are mind-blowing) and a boat ride along Lake Martel. The experience is purely magical. And just a little tip: you’ll be at about 21°C and 80% humidity, so bring something along to keep you warm.

It’s truly awe-inspiring to see what erosion can do. And perhaps M.F Will, who first explored the caves back in 1880, and E.A Martel, who found the underground lake 16 years later, will never know the extent of the beauty of the underground realm they discovered. And now you know why this underground lake, one of the largest in the world, is called Lake Martel. But the discovery of these caves wasn’t given much importance until the early 20^th century, when extensive work was undertaken to condition the caves so they could be opened to the public. From 1922 to 1935 an easy and accessible way in was built and stairs were dug out, different paths were charted, and an electric system was installed. Since then, the Caves of Drach, in Porto Cristo, are the Island’s main tourist attraction, with hundreds of thousands of visitors venturing down every year.

A Concert in the Canelobre Caves

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Deep within the mountain ridge known as Cabeçó D´Or and carved out into countess intricate shapes by subsurface runoff, lie the Canelobre Caves. You’ll find the entrance to the caves in the town of Busot, in the province of Alicante. These caves boast one of the highest and largest vaults in Spain, which is the backdrop to a number of yearly concerts. And it is precisely the combination of the height of the vault and the particular conditions of this cave that give it exceptional acoustics, similar to those of gothic-style cathedrals. But these caves are worth visiting (the tour takes 40-50 minutes) even if there isn’t a concert on that given day.

A Festival in the Nerja Caves

The festival that takes place in Malaga’s best known caves celebrates its 56^th anniversary this year, an International Festival of Music and Dance that has been taking place for over half a century in an extraordinary venue. And this edition will not disappoint: artists like Carlos Baute (August 8th), José Mercé (July 3^rd) or Pablo Alborán (July 5^th) will make it happen from July 2^nd to August 15^th. Past editions of the festival have seen the likes of José Carreras, Joan Manuel Serrat, Ainhoa Arteta, Sara Baras, Montserrat Caballé, Alfredo Kraus, Estrella Morente and the late Paco de Lucía, who delighted the festival goers at Nerja’s caverns back in 2004. This festival has been held since the cave was first discovered, back in 1959, and its declared purpose is to merge music, art and nature at its best.